First shipment of RSPO certified palm oil arrives
AAK joined fellow RSPO members in Rotterdam last month to welcome the arrival of Europe’s first shipment of RSPO certified palm oil. This is the first palm oil in the world to have been certified by the RSPO as having been produced with respect for both people and the environment. As such, it represents an important milestone in our drive to promote the production of sustainable palm oil.
A small but significant step
Jan Kees Vis, President of the worldwide Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and Sustainable Agriculture Director at Unilever NV, described the moment as follows: “The arrival of this first batch of oil is a small but significant step towards having all the world’s palm oil produced in a socially and environmentally sustainable way.”
First buyers announced
AAK is proud to have secured this ‘world first’ and the first consignment of oil arrived at our refinery in Hull just a few days later. We were also delighted that the first purchasers of our RSPO certified palm oil – Sainsbury’s Supermarkets and Unilever NV, were able to join us in Rotterdam to mark the occasion. A number of journalists attended too and their resulting reports have helped to raise the profile of RSPO certified palm oil.
Greenpeace
You may also have seen the negative media coverage generated by Greenpeace concerning United Plantations, the first palm oil producer to achieve RSPO certification. Please note however that United Plantations have now made a full and detailed rejection of Greenpeace’s claims.
For our part we remain dedicated to the drive towards sustainability because, quite simply, it is the right thing to do. Whilst fully recognise that the RSPO is not perfect and could improve, we are committed to its continuous improvement. It’s good to know too that we enjoy the full co-operation and support of fellow RSPO members the WWF and Oxfam.
Support is at hand
As the palm oil debate gains profile and momentum, we are aware that our customers may be beginning to feel nervous about the damage which could be caused by consumer concerns regarding palm oil. The good news is that we are here to help.
We are ready to advise customers on whether RSPO certified palm oil is right for their business and can offer GreenPalm, our RSPO endorsed certificate trading scheme if it is not. In essence, at this point in time, RSPO certified palm oil is a viable option for bulk users of crude palm oil. Smaller scale users, or users of palm oil derivatives, can still support - and therefore claim - that their business or brand supports the production of palm oil, by joining our GreenPalm programme.
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AarhusKarlshamn UK Ltd
King George Dock, Hull, HU9 5PX, England
T: +44 (0)1482 701 271 | E: uk.info@aak.com
Registered in England with Company Number 1585686 and VAT Number GB 475 4800 31.
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